Method and apparatus for obfuscating context information

Abstract

In some examples, context information is determined. The context information is associated with a user and based on information of a communication device associated with the user. The context information is obfuscated based on a user information, such privacy policy, user profile, user preferences, user activity, and/or any combination of the aforementioned, associated with the user. In other examples, the context information is determined based on a user location and/or user information.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining, by a communication device, context information associated with a user based on information of the communication device associated with the user; 
 receiving, by the communication device, a level identification of one or more objects, one or more object categories, or a combination thereof, for obfuscation; 
 determining, by the communication device, a privacy policy of the user based on the level identification that specifies one of a plurality of user activity levels of one or more user physical activities that are independent from user interactions with the communication device and independent from operations of an apparatus of a service provider; 
 obfuscating, by the communication device, at least one user activity portion of the context information based on the specified user activity level; and 
 initiating, by the communication device, a presentation of the context information after the obfuscating on a user interface of the communication device, prior to communicating the context information to a third-party server. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining the context information based on a user location associated with a location of the communication device associated with the user. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising communicating the obfuscated context information to the third-party server for a value-added service,
 wherein the one or more user physical activities include driving, exercising, shopping, or a combination thereof, and the at least one user activity portion of the context information is obfuscated based on the specified user activity level of driving, exercising, shopping, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving an update request from the third-party server; 
 obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy and the update request to form a second obfuscated context information; and 
 communicating the second obfuscated context information to the third-party server for the value-added service. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: modifying the privacy policy based on a privacy update request from the user,
 wherein the one or more user physical activities include consuming or sharing media content, and the at least one user activity portion of the context information is obfuscated based on the specified user activity level of the consuming or sharing media content via adding randomness to one or more tracks of the media content, reducing resolution of the media content, obfuscating one or more faces in the media content, generalizing artist information of the media content, generalizing user consumption data of the media content, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy further comprises obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy and a third-party server preference. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy further comprises enlarging a user location and/or a user group based on the privacy policy, and replacing the context information with the enlarged user location and/or user group. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy further comprises determining a generic user preference and/or a user category based on the privacy policy, and replacing the context information with the generic user preference and/or the user category. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy further comprises selecting a landmark associated with a user location and/or the context information based on the privacy policy, and replacing the user location and/or the context information with the landmark. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 communicating part or all of the privacy policy to a plurality of communication devices; and 
 receiving privacy policy information from the plurality of communication devices; wherein obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy further comprises obfuscating the context information based on the privacy policy and/or the privacy policy information. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: receiving one or more media objects for obfuscation, the context information comprising metadata of the one or more media objects; and obfuscating the metadata based on the privacy policy. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 adjusting the level identification in response to one or more user interactions with one or more slider objects presented in the user interface. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user activity levels are defined by at least one user activity in conjunction with one or more other parameters, and
 the one or more other parameters include one or more user location parameters, one or more user profile parameters, one or more user preference parameters, one or more user device capability parameters, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the privacy policy of the user is determined based on the level identification that further specifies at least one of a plurality of user presence levels in conjunction with the plurality of user activity levels,
 wherein the user presence levels are defined by at least one user location in conjunction with one or more other parameters, and 
 wherein the one or more other parameters include one or more user profile parameters, one or more user preference parameters, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       15. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, 
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus embedded in a communication device to perform at least the following, 
 determine context information associated with a user based on information of the communication device associated with the user; 
 receive a level identification of one or more objects, one or more object categories, or a combination thereof, for obfuscation; 
 determine a privacy policy of the user based on the level identification that specifies one of a plurality of user activity levels of one or more user physical activities that are independent from user interactions with the communication device and independent from operations of an apparatus of a service provider; 
 obfuscate by the apparatus at least one user activity portion of the context information based on the specified user activity level; and 
 initiate a presentation of the context information after the obfuscating on a user interface of the communication device, prior to communicating the context information to a third-party server. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine the context information based on a user location associated with a location of the communication device associated with the user. 
 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 receive a value-added service from the third-party server; and cause, at least in part, a display of the value-added service by a display device in proximity to the user location. 
 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein apparatus is further caused to:
 determine the context information based on user information associated with the user. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 communicate the obfuscated context information to the third-party server for a value-added service. 
 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a communication device to at least perform the following steps:
 determining context information associated with a user based on information of the communication device associated with the user; 
 receiving a level identification of one or more objects, one or more object categories, or a combination thereof, for obfuscation; 
 determining a privacy policy of the user based on the level identification that specifies one of a plurality of user activity levels of one or more user physical activities that are independent from user interactions with the communication device and independent from operations of an apparatus of a service provider; 
 obfuscating at least one user activity portion of the context information based on the specified user activity level; and 
 initiating a presentation of the context information after the obfuscating on a user interface of the communication device, prior to communicating the context information to a third-party server.